District Administration - November/December 2011 - (Page 27)

An IT administrator in the Lee County schools, above, replaces a server rack in the district’s data center, which houses the network and stores all the data. keeps up with demands for new technology, but doesn’t cost a fortune. To further make the case on savings, Kurtz cites a 2010 report from the market research and analysis firm International Data Corp. that says for every $1 spent on hardware, companies spend $3 on managing PCs. If an organization can cut in half, it will show substantial savings, he says. To overcome any concerns about whether those might just be nice-sounding talking points, he advises district leaders to set up a forum with top stakeholders in information technology and across the district. A forum is probably advisable anyway, as districts generally plan upgrades on a budget to have a top-down leadership view, such as from the superintendent, Kurtz says. Cloud Nine The move to the “cloud” environment causes many IT professionals to bristle, according to a CDW-G survey of 1,200 of them in U.S. businesses, government agencies, education and health-care organizations taken earlier this year. More than half—53 percent—said their organization’s management does not trust data security in the cloud, and 45 percent of those not using cloud computing cited security concerns as a roadblock to further implementation, compared with only 32 percent of those who are using cloud computing. The survey also showed Network on a Budget By ED FInKEl Training Is a Catch-22 CoNtiNuous trAiNiNg is vitAl to the suCCess of ANy district information technology plan, because, unlike large corporations, districts don’t have specialized information technology personnel, says Dwayne Alton, director of information technology support at lee County Public schools in florida. “you really have to have the appropriate skill level” to put storage solutions in place, set up a wireless network or move resources to the cloud, he says. “you can’t just throw these solutions in place. you have to have people who understand the system. that’s a big challenge in school districts. … you have a small number of people doing everything. the Catch-22 is, when do you get these people time to train? Because they’re always supporting systems.” Alton estimates that lee County spent $120,000 to provide everyone in it between 80 and 160 hours of training when they first created their major data center move more than three years ago. the costs and time have been about $28,000 and 120 hours per year since then, Alton says. “if you don’t invest in the training and use professional services to transfer the knowledge, you end up buying a big, shiny box that doesn’t really help you,” he says. “for the most part, if you invest in training and have staff to deal with your systems, it’s a huge money-saver.” the exact amount can be hard to quantify, Alton adds, since it amounts to things like increased user downtime and decreased use of systems, because they are considered unreliable. “We tend to invest in equipment but not training,” he says. “it people all agree on this; it’s how you sell it in tight budgetary times.” www.DistrictAdministration.com November/December 2011 27 http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November/December 2011

District Administration - November/December 2011
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Inside the Law
Administrator Profile
District Profile
CIO news
How to Update Your Network on a Budget
The Importance of IT Team Unity
Creating an Anti-Bullying Program With the Resources You Have
The Ultimate Empowerment Program for Parents
Taking the Helm in Cheating Scandals
Readers’ Choice: Top 100 Products
New Directions
Professional Opinion
Problem/Solution
Going Mobile

District Administration - November/December 2011

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201505_AudioVisualSolutions
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201405_AudioVisualSolutions
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da201301_AudioVisualSolutions
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da_avguide0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da1006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da-palm0606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0606-av
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pmg/da0406
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com